Sunday, June 1, 2014

TEDx Thessaloniki - events of an EVENT

This story is part fantasy, part fact and part fiction and
then some. Many of the things described here happened, some didn’t, some I wish
had happened and some I wish hadn’t plus the people are real as my imagination
could conjure them up but some are more real than others and some are more
imaginary than their real counterparts. So please exercise caution and
discretion not necessarily in that or any order as you skim or sink or swim
through this one. Life without pun is no fun and I take intentional dig at
everyone; that they approve the victims of my dig, I am not sure but I presume
they do and also allow me literary digression as well as liberty. So here goes
a first hand and totally true account of something entirely fascinating,
alluring, charming and decidedly desirable that I am willing to experience
again and again.

Everything that begins or happens has a genesis and mine was
in a mail written by a beautiful Amazonian woman I happened to chance upon in
the by-lanes of Zurich near the end of previous year. Don’t ask what I was
doing in so drab a place and I have no idea what she was doing their either,
but fate made our paths cross and then collide into close proximity. We
exchanged mail address and mobile numbers and became FB friends just like it
happens to anyone these days you even remotely meet anywhere across the planet.
And then everything quietened. I went away winter climbing, trying to kill
myself in various ways, while this woman of my dreams disappeared into her own
world perhaps trying to kill someone else in her own ways. Long story short, I
never heard back from her and neither did I drop her a line till a fine morning
I found a mail from her in my inbox asking me to be the saviour and pathfinder
(Moses like) for the vagrant and disillusioned Greek youth. Oh, did I forget to
tell you that she was from Greece!

She claimed (and I had no means of verifying) that she
managed the speaker’s list for TEDx Thessaloniki, an annual affair where
speakers from various facets of society with dubious achievements (that’s why I
qualified as one) were invited to speak for 18 minutes in front of a raving
crowd of Greek populace out looking for doing something crazy on a Saturday or
just sleeping in a nice auditorium and munch some good food in between for the
want of any better preoccupation. She invited me to be one such speaker for the
event on May 10, 2014. It was an all expense paid trip to speak for only 18
minutes; not a bad idea at all; totally worth spreading.

Those of you not aware of TED or TEDx or TEDx Thessaloniki please
first ask my close friend Mr Google and then come back to this narrative. And
in the mail, which really caught my attention, is that she believed only I
could uplift the sagging morale of the Greek youth who thought their country
was already doomed and so were they and they were wont to say: what can I do?
for every situation. I nodded, yes that is a doomed situation for sure, so what
can I do? Well, what I can certainly do was to accept the invitation since it
would get me in close proximity to beautiful women (all the main organizers of
TEDx Thessaloniki are gorgeous women) and of course some nice food. So I read
up and learnt that Thessaloniki is a city with a past full of grandeur and
history but with a bleak present where the biggest challenge the citizens faced
each day was to locate parking space for their cars. Great, I told myself,
perfect place for me to spend few days since I dedicatedly hate everything man
made. But to compensate, it had a beautiful seafront with poppies growing along
the pathway and on a clear day an enchanting view of Mt Olympus floating into
the misty sky across the Aegean Sea. So I confirmed and then all hell broke
loose and I knew it was coming.

I am a TED veteran being a TED Global Fellow from 2009
batch, that elite batch of men and women (all crazy as nuts) numbering only
around 350 worldwide, handpicked and coached and polished and washed by TED to
be their ambassadors of goodwill and good humour. After many TED conferences of
all sorts including talks and coaching, mentoring etc I thought I had seen it
all and certainly knew it all. Mind you, TED Fellow is a title we wear with as
much élan as we can muster as it is one of the smallest and secretive groups of
the smartest brains in the world; therefore I sometimes wonder if I got a
wildcard or if they were high on something when someone popped the idea in
their NY office, ‘hey, I like this crazy brown Indian guy, who either stays
underwater chasing whales or above clouds chasing the sun, maybe we need him to
make our brand a real crazy one.’

So I knew what was coming next from Thessaloniki.

They wanted a script, presentation slides and rehearsal of
my talk, at least 45 days in advance. I mean for a guy like me, I have no idea
what I am going to say or do in the next five minutes; this was absolutely out
of question. So I sent a tactical mail (since I never upset or irritate
beautiful women) telling them to relax, chill, sip pinacoladas if they wanted
or hike up Olympus. The sirens would take none of it. So we Skyped and I was
able to assure them with my charming smile. Then the tickets arrived and the
hotel confirmation so I knew I was well on my way even if I still had no idea
what I was going to talk about. Though my beautiful friend and her beautiful
friend had threatened me coyly that I had to come up with something that would
suit their theme ‘Every end is a beginning’ and inspiring the youth at the same
time. Easier said than done. So I hummed and hawed through all the pre-event
mails and messages. Even as I boarded the flight I was thinking more about
which cheese I would try out or who would I meet than what my mouth would eventually
utter on stage.

The Amazing TEDx Thessaloniki Team, nothing would be possible, including this story, without them. A BIG Shout out to each one of them and the others who are not in this picture

At Thessaloniki airport I found a petite lady waving a card
with my name on it, she played lovely music in the car of which I understood
nothing but I rapped the beat on my seat just to keep her happy since she was
in the driver’s seat, and dropped me at the most fancy hotel of the city; the
Macedonia Palace overlooking the deep blue sea. My room already had a couple of
instruction manuals, introductory blah blahs from the organizers, which I
promptly dumped into the waste-bin without reading. I had very little idea
about my fellow speakers and neither did I know if they had arrived, and at
that point, neither did I care. I walked along the sea in the evening and ate
at a quiet corner on the boulevard.

Next morning after breakfast I met up with my fellow speaker
Dianna of Plastic Pollution Coalition fame from LA and walked to the Vassiliko
Theatre for the so called ‘final rehearsal’ and I still had very little idea of
my talk. Dianna and I hit it off really well from the word go; she is crazy as
bat out of hell and our combined craziness was enough to burn the city down so
it went off really well. At first glance I was super impressed with the venue.
A magnificent nouveau-classical structure of imposing dimensions, the majestic
Vassiliko Theatre which apparently could hold over 800 audiences. I like to
face large number of people, larger the better, so I already felt better.
Inside someone was already on the stage and we met our first pretty tormentor
named K who escorted us further. And then in the darkness I met the second
pretty tormentor named E, in fact she continued to remain a big tormentor all
through the event and then my friend who started it all named I and then R, a
lady who I believe had suffered maximum stress due to my no-rehearsal policy.
We all laughed and joked as if nothing had happened and we all were great
friends since decades. So I quietly told them that I was here only escorting
Dianna and I had absolutely no intention of any rehearsal at all, as I still
had little idea of my talk. It was anyway too late for them or for me or for
anyone else to do anything about it so we all smiled some more and I only went
up to the stage to do a little jig and test the mike. And I was told, though I
knew it all, that I had a small red circle to stand upon and blah blah blahs.

We went for a speaker’s evening dinner where I met all my
other fellow speakers, each little preoccupied or pre-emptive or
pre-absolutely-chilled. Several were Greek and others were scattered across the
planet, with me and Dianna bringing up the extremities. I sat with Dimitris
Korres and his lovely wife Yota for most part since he is a very senior and
serious climber. He is almost unknown outside of Greece but I have a feeling
very soon the world will know of him for his work. Wait and watch, I am not
going to tell any more about him. We had great time sharing crazy climbing
stories along with great food and desserts. The night went in a dreamless
sleep.

I woke up energised and still not sure of my talk and had a
great hearty breakfast full of fibre and fruits as the day ahead would be
gruelling. The theatre was buzzing with excitement, people were spilling from
every window and doors, corners and staircases, and it was like entering a
vaudevillian fair. Ms E handed over our bag and name card both of which I
promptly dislocated so most people had no idea who I was as I sauntered
casually through the throng wondering who I really was and what the hell was I
doing there on that morning of May 10, 2014! Suddenly a bespectacled girl with
a great smile blocked my path and exclaimed, ‘I am so looking forward to your
talk Satya.’ Well I thanked her and told myself silently: well even I am
looking forward to my own talk.

I checked out the layout of the hall, the food stalls, the
coffee corner, ice cream corner, the main and emergency exits, the fire
extinguishers, etc all part of my past special forces training where I keep
myself ready for any emergencies and rescues and evacuations. Then the clock
struck 11 and the curtain parted and the hall darkened and then Ms E and R invaded
the stage. I have been many things in this life but linguist was never one of
them so I had no idea what was being said but I was completely awestruck and
bedazzled by Ms E and Ms R in their mesmerizing dresses and beautiful dulcet
tenors and the charming movement of their limbs and eyes as they welcomed the
audience.

The first speaker took the stage and only then did I realize
that all the Greek speakers were likely to speak in Greek so I watched the
slides and tried to make connections. Of course they had instant audio
translations available through headphones but I didn’t wish to burden myself
with another gadget. I like it easy and breezy with as less manmade objects
upon my person as possible or ethically permitted. No doubt, each one of us was
brilliant and enchanting and captivating, no matter if I understood entirely or
not, but the energy of the audience and the speakers were totally riveting. I
was the last speaker of the third session so it was a long time before I would
take the stage.

After the first session I discovered the food stalls outside
under the sun along with a live band playing by the sea. What a great idea, I
absolutely loved it. To top it, the weather gods literally smiled upon us; blue
ocean, halcyon breeze, verdant soft grass to sit or lie upon, healthy organic
food, lilting music and pretty girls everywhere I turned my eyes to. I wondered
if Greece really was in some crisis or if I really needed to inspire the Greek
youth; I had in front of me the choice of Greek youth in their full regalia and
no one seemed morally challenged or perturbed. By now more people had started
recognizing me since I was the only dark-brown-black individual there so I
stood out like coal in a diamond pile. As more people (read girls) told me that
they were waiting for my talk (I am sure they were just being polite) I swelled
with happiness and pondered more on what to say. Each session break was better
than the previous one. The food, the music, and the breeze they all changed and
became merrier and crazier. The speaker’s having already done their gig were
now being mobbed by audience, shaking hands, kissing (twice on either cheek
true Greek style), clicking pictures, etc as I wondered what would my fate be
soon. For me there’s no middle way, I will either crash out or crash in. Either
Ms I and Ms R will curse me or thank me for the rest of their lives.

I found a fellow collaborator in Ms El who was introducing
the speakers, she loves mountains and mountain people and I totally loved her
since she spoke so well and looked like a living dream on stage (and off stage
as well). So I enjoyed her company backstage just before I would go. Myrto, the
famed photographer preceded me and her talk was not only moving but emotionally
vulnerable. Even without really understanding her words I was deeply drawn into
her world of pain and pathos that she etched for us. She got a brilliant
ovation. And then Ms El introduced me of which I understood absolutely nothing.
Now all I had to do was to just go out there do my jig and let the world carry
on with its life.

I took the red circle and looked out into the audience, and
every seat was full and everybody seemed awake and many were already smiling (I
know I look funny under the light) and what a sight it was. I felt so happy and
relieved; yes, I told myself I love this audience. The rest was easy. The
audience was simply fantastic, clapping and cheering me on every now and then,
even following my words obediently when I asked them to do some limbering
workouts. I made fun of myself, of them, of everyone, of fellow speakers and of
Zeus and anyone that came to my mind and everyone laughed. There was no great
story that I told, just simple very down to earth lessons I had learnt all my
life from the mountains and they seemed to love it. Predictably I exceeded my
18 minutes but no one seemed to care or remember. The thundering applause and
cat calls said it all – I had indeed crashed it in true and proper.

In the session break I just wanted to be hugged and kissed
by all the pretty lasses but Ms IT will have nothing of the sort as she herded
my reluctant self and that of willing Dianna to the first floor portico for
some close informal chats with some of the audiences. They threw us questions
and we fielded and fended. I think it really went well. And while I stood
little undecided, eyeing the big ice cream cups in some of the hands around,
wondering where is my ice cream (Dianna didn’t seem so perturbed about the ice
cream), Ms IT wrapped up the session. While she wanted to shepherd us back
inside the hall I absolutely refused to do so without my ice cream. A guy with
huge moustache solved it promptly and for the first time I felt some empathy
for the male species.

The last session rolled magnificently followed by impromptu
dance by all the organizing team members and the audience. Greeks love to party
and dance and they did it very well on that day. The speakers were relieved
that they won’t have to earn their living anymore, the organizers were happy
that they will have few more months of respite now before starting for the next
year’s event and the audience must be absolutely relieved that they could now
get on with their lives with so much inspiration and novel ideas cramming their
heads.

The super charged audience. We speakers are nothing without our audience and they were the best

Besides the speaker’s with 18 min gigs, we had brilliant theatrical
performances, live bands and dances that were scintillating and truly thought
provoking. I really loved the live band on stage that played mostly English
romantic numbers. I guess every girl in that auditorium wanted to tango with
the lead singer.

The evening terrace party was great, I met many great people
(read ‘girls’), and even few shy ones (Greeks and shy, who would have known!).
I kept to non-alcoholic beverages and curvy companions. Then all the speakers
were herded to a restaurant across the street, Ms E my eternal tormentor
literally tearing me away from the grips of a red apparelled Athena. The food
and conversation were excellent. I finally retired to my room around 4 in the
morning wondering if I should sleep at all.

Well that in a big nutshell is my impressions about TEDx
Thessaloniki. Few positive observations – it was a great effort and team work,
everything worked like Swiss precision, I can’t really find a flaw anywhere.
Real efficiency is the one that is invisible and this was at its best here. I
suddenly had greater respect for the Greeks. The audience were among the best I
had seen anywhere. Their sheer enthusiasm, exuberance and physical display of
their excitement were addictive and really motivating. I loved each one of
them, the men a little less of course. There were some really unique ideas
about the location, food, stalls, gift bags, design and layout of the venue and
the brilliant team of volunteers, not to forget the book with details about the
authors along with an empty page for jotting down notes from their respective talks.
No one showed any fatigue, irritation or annoyance no matter how stupid our
questions were. This was display of humane qualities at its best. The hotel we
stayed was the best in the city barely 5 min walk from the venue that made
commuting really easy. The only thing I wish they had was a bigger screen since
my visuals look better on bigger screens.

Post Event – right from the next day I started receiving
mails and messages from many members of the audience telling me how much they
loved us all and my talk, several asking me direct questions about how to find
their passion and dreams. This was serendipity since I hadn’t expected to move
so many people in so many ways just by speaking of my lessons from the
mountains.

In few days I left for the Epirus Mountains to do some
hiking and climbing. One day after I had climbed Gamila Peak and a neighbouring
one and had just come back to Astraka Refuge to collect my big backpack, when I
noticed two men at the refuge shade (the refuge was shut at the time). Suddenly
one of them looked at me and jumped up in the air with arms raised like a
gladiator exclaiming ‘I am awesome.’ You could have knocked me out with a
feather! That was my opening mantra at the talk in TEDX. So this guy comes
rushing down to me, wearing only a thin tee and military fatigues, obviously at
the pink of his health, followed by his other friend. We shake hands and he
just couldn’t believe that he would see me again so far and high up in the
mountains. He told me how much the TEDx speakers had energised him into
dreaming big and hope for the future. He was at the threshold of a new career
and had to decide what he should do next and he claimed my talk had made him
think in new ways; so we had an impromptu career counselling and dream big
session upon the snow. This incident alone was enough gratification for me to
be in Greece. Then we bid goodbye as I had another mountain to climb and more
to explore. So I shouldered my pack and taking one final look at the imposing
ice covered slopes of Astraka peak plunged my foot into the snow to find yet
another trail leading high into the misty mountains above.

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About Me

As a child, i had three wishes: to be a submariner (i did), to be a published author (i did, but won't rest till the Nobel and Booker rest on my mantle) and to be a mountaineer (still trying to fulfill this one).I am otherwise a globe trotting thrill seeker and have climbed the seven summits and skied to both the poles and then some.

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BLOG FOR CLIMBING AND IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS

There is a drama and beauty to be found in the world’s most hard to reach places that far exceed the intensity we experience in our normal everyday lives. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from the fact that this pure happiness is usually only achieved after suffering some great hardships. In this mechanistic modern world, our primordial instincts for survival are often left untested, driving us to seek out those places where life is still hard.